Differences between the new and classic experiences for lists and libraries

The modern document lists and library experience in SharePoint in Microsoft 365 is faster, displays better in mobile browsers, and is easier to use than the classic experience.

With the modern experience, you can:

• Create modern folders and upload folders the same way you do in OneDrive, using the new command bar instead of the classic ribbon. You can also easily copy and move files using the command bar.

• Pin documents to the top to highlight them.

• Add files as links instead of copying them between sites.

• Easily add, reorder, resize, sort, filter, and group columns, and create custom views.

• Quickly change file info, and easily access previews and additional details.

• Improve the display of lists with column formatting and list view formatting.

• Add rich location data from Bing Maps or your organization directory.

The modern experience also supports themes, navigation, and custom buttons that were created in the classic experience.

Notes: 

• For a tour of the modern document library experience, see What is a document library? For a tour of the modern list experience, see What is a list in SharePoint?

• To learn how to change the experience or check for customizations that may affect lists and libraries, see Switch the default experience for lists or document libraries from modern or classic.

• Lists and library experiences are not available for users of Internet Explorer 10 or earlier.

Features available only in the classic experience

The ribbon toolbars

• The classic ribbon is replaced by a command bar in the modern experience.

• Certain features are only available through the classic ribbon:

  • Popularity trends

  • RSS Feed

  • Most Popular Items

  • Connect to Outlook

  • Connect to Office

  • Export to Excel

    Note: Export to Excel is available only in the classic experience for document libraries (and only in Internet Explorer). However, it is available in the modern experience for lists (in Internet Explorer and Edge only).

  • Open with Access

  • Form Web Parts

  • Edit Library

  • New Quick Step

  • Declare Record

  • Send To

  • Follow

View features

• Item totals

• Custom styles (such as Basic Table or Document Details)

• Multiple web parts on list view pages

• Features that configure different view availability depending on the folder

Navigation features

• Tree view

• Per-location views

• Customized navigation links on publishing sites

Column types

• External data columns

• Geolocation columns

• Publishing columns (Publishing HTML, Publishing Image, Publishing Hyperlink)

Customization types

• List templates other than Document Library, Custom List, Announcements List, Links List, Picture Library, Asset Library, Promoted Links, Form Library, Wiki Page Library, Asset Library, Promoted Links and Wiki Page Library.

  Note: The modern experience for the Issue Tracking List, Contacts List, and Custom List in Datasheet View are being introduced gradually to organizations that have opted in to the Targeted Release program. This means that you may still see lists with those templates in the classic experience.

• Customize in InfoPath

• Minimal Download Strategy (MDS)

• SharePoint Server Publishing

• JSLink code on fields or views

• Customization of list views through the XSL link property of the XsltListViewWebPart

• CustomActions that include ScriptBlock or ScriptSrc properties

  CustomActions that do not include ScriptBlock or ScriptSrc properties will continue to work as expected

Other features

• Content organizer

• Follow

• Limited-access user permission lockdown mode

Features that automatically switch to the classic experience

Column types

• External data columns

• Geolocation columns

• Publishing columns (Publishing HTML, Publishing Image, Publishing Hyperlink)

Permissions

• Limited-access user permission lockdown mode

Customizations

• List templates other than Document Library, Custom List, Announcements List, Links List, Picture Library, Asset Library, Promoted Links, Form Library and Wiki Page Library

• Customizing a list form by setting the ContentType.EditFormUrl or ContentType.NewFormUrl properties to point to a custom form URL.
  
   

  Notes: 

  • Classic list forms support the following customizations:

  • 1.  Set the ContentType.EditFormUrl or ContentType.NewFormUrl properties to point to a custom form URL 
    2.  Adding a Content Editor Web Part or other web part to the form page
    3.  Adding a JSLink to one or more fields that appear on the form.

  • Only the first customization listed above will trigger a fallback to classic mode on the form. 

• CustomActions on the list that include ScriptBlock or ScriptSrc properties

• A list view page with any web part other than the list view web part

• Document set welcome pages